IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 16^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI WRIT PETITION NO. 2726 OF 2026 (CS-RES)

BETWEEN:

THE TALUKA AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING SOCIETY LIMITED, BENGALURU NORTH TALUK, NO.F-817/1, BHARAT NAGARA, 1^ST PHASE, BEL LAYOUT, MAGADI ROAD, BENGALURU-560 091.

REPRESENTED BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER …PETITIONER (BY SRI. GEORGE ANTHONY CRUZE.,ADVOCATE AND SRI.C.MUDALAGIRIYAPPA.,ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA SHARADAVANI B BY IT'S THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE Location: High Court of SOCIETIES IN KARNATKA, Karnataka NO.1, ALI ASKAR ROAD, BENGALURU-560 052.

2. THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, BENGALURU 4^TH CIRCLE, NO.146, 8^TH CROSS, SAHAKARA BHAVAN, MARGOSA ROAD, MALLESWARAM, BENGALURU-560 003.

3. SRI. VIJAY KUMAR. H, S/O. HANUMANTHARAYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, R/AT.NO.248/2, 12^TH CROSS, SHIVANANDNAGARA, HEGGANAHALLI, BENGALURU NORTH TALUK, BENGALURU-560 091.

4. SRI. NAGESHKUMAR. S S/O. SUBBAIAH. M, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, R/AT NO.114, 3^RD CROSS ROAD, HEROHALLI VILLAGE, VISHWANEEDAM POST, MAGADI MAIN ROAD, YESHANTHPURA HOBLI, BENGLAURU NORTH TALUK, BENGALURU URBAN DISTRICT, BENGALURU-560091 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.YOGESH.D.NAIK.,AGA FOR R1 AND R2)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALL FOR RELEVANT RECORDS PENDING ON THE FILE OF RESPONDENT NO.2 PERTAINING TO RTI INFORMATION SOUGHT BY RESPONDENT NO.3 AND 4 AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK S.KINAGI

ORAL ORDER

1. The petitioner filed this petition seeking for the following reliefs:

"(i) Call for relevant records pending on the file of Respondent No.2 pertaining to RTI information sought by Respondent No.3 and 4.

(ii) Issue a writ in the nature of writ of CERITORARI by quashing the impugned notice issued by Deputy Registrar Co-operative Socierties-4^th Circle - Respondent No.2 dated 10/12/2025 bearing No.DRB-4/TAPCMS/03/2025 vide Annexure-F.

(iii) Issue further direction to the learned Deputy Registrar Co-operative Societies-4^th Circle - Respondent No.2 to dispose of the further proceedings in pursuant of the notice bearing No.DRB-4/TAPCMS/03/2025 vide Annexure-F dated

10/12/2025.

(iv) Issue any other order, direction as deemed just in the circumstances in the probabilities of the case and the same may be kindly consider in the interest of justice and equity."

2. Brief facts, leading rise to the filing of this petition are as follows:

Respondent Nos.3 and 4 are non-members in the petitioner's Society filed an application seeking information under Section 61 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (for short 'the RTI Act'). The endorsement was issued to them is also challenged by them before the Information Commissioner. The application was rejected in limine and the respondents filed an application before respondent No.2-DRCS. Respondent No.2 has issued a notice and commenced the proceedings. It is contented that respondent No.2 has no jurisdiction to entertain the petition in view of the order passed by the Apex Court and this Court. Hence, the petitioner seeks the due intervention of this Court to quash the impugned notice dated 10.12.2025 and proceedings pending before respondent No.2-DRCS.

3. Heard the arguments of the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Addl. Government Advocate for respondent Nos.1 and 2.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the RTI Act is not applicable to the petitioner-Society. It is submitted that respondent Nos.3 and 4 are not the members of the petitioner-Society. To address his arguments, he has placed a reliance on the decision of the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Writ Petition No.7407/2006 (GM-RES) and connected matters, disposed of on 09.02.2009. It is submitted that respondent No.2 has no jurisdiction to entertain the proceedings initiated by respondent Nos.3 and 4